Sheet rack for presses



' Jan. 6, 1931.

F. S ENGLISH SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed M arch so, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 V v v N\ awuentoz F. S. ENGLISH.

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed which so, 1928' m .q Q wi r- 3 I & I W is Q L'ZLJ Jan, 6, 1931.

F.- s. ENGLISH 1,787,572

SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES Filed March so. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet s awuenfoz 'Jan. 6, 1931. F. s. ENGLISH SHEET RACK FoR-rREssEs 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 30, 1928 Patented Jan. 6, 1931 i' nnirso STATES FRED s. ENGLISH, or 'nnw LONDON, ooivivnorrour SHEET RACK FOR PRESSES 7, Application, filed Ma h so, 1928 Serial No. 265,559.

The present invention relates to sheet racks for presses. In the application of Fred S.

English and "Robert H. Dodd s, SerialNo.

189,615, filed October 5, 1926, there was shown 7 a folding sheet, rackand the present invention relates to a device of somewhat similar character and is intended to accomplish similar results but in a more eflicientmanner.

In presses, particularly printing presses lo and cutting and creasing presses, where large runs are made,it has become the practice to provide a lowering pile table set off at the delivery end of the press where the table can be lowered automatically from a high posiis" tion to a position near the floor, in order'to receive a large'pile of sheets delivered from the press. The present invention is most useful when combined with a press andsuch a lowering pile table, and its purpose primarily' is to receive the sheets delivered from the press to temporarily hold them While the pile table and its pile of sheets are being removed and a new pile tableplaoed into receiving position. After this,'the temporary rack is folded up out of receiving po sition to allow the sheets'to continue to deliver upon the pile table, and in this folding operation the sheet rack delivers the sheets which have accumulated thereon upon the pile table. The object of the present inven tion is to provide a folding sheet rack of di vided constructiomor one wherein therack as a whole separates intermediate its ends, the two' halves folding inopposite directions and allowing the sheets accumulated upon the rack to bend downwardly at the middle to gradually pass to the pile table, until the sections of the rack move entirely out from under the sheets. During the folding of the "4.0 sheet rack, therefore, the support of the rack is first taken'aw'ay from the sheets near the center, sothat theybegin to sag at this point and to tench the pile, table, the contact increasing untilthe rack has beenentirely dise5 engage-d from the sheets, and the latter are completely deposited upon the [pile table;

This allows the sheets to be discharged from l the sheet rack smoothly and in perfect order.

'Another advantage isthat there is no tenden y for thesheets t0 shift longitudinal y Qt adjustment.

rack onto the pile table the rack While the latter is being withdrawn; or, rather, the tendency to shift in one direction is neutralized by the tendency tomove in the reverse direction. Another advantageeis that the various parts of the folding rack'es maybe operated with a'reduetion in the distancetraversed by the varlous parts, so that a sheet rack of a given size may be folded in a shorter time than in the device shown in said co-pending application, and likewise, the rack may be placed in extended position in a shorter period of time; Another advantage is that no adj ustment is'required to adapt the rack for receiving sheets of different sizes as itmaybe set at all'times fo1.maXimum'65 size sheets and still be adapted to operate on sheets of less than maximum" size without 'Another object of the present invention is to avoid the necessityof theuse of supporting tapes forthe sheets such as are shown in the saidco-pendingapplication, and to utilize in place thereof a small bridge to prevent the forward edgeof the sheets from dropping under the forward cross members of the rack. Other improvements and advantages will be made apparent in the following detailed description of one embodiment of the invention.

In" the drawings plication, v

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the invention showing also one endofthe press to which the same is applied, and parts of a lowering pile table, a a

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof, Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation of the sheetrack in extended or receiving position,

Figurelis a detail sectional view showing the end ofone of the supporting rollers and itshanger, e i F "Figure 5 is a'diagrammaticside elevation showing the sheet rack in the process of being folded to deliver the sheets from the forming part of this ap-- v 1 Figuret isa-similar view with the rack completelyretractedor folded and thesheets completely delivered upon the pile table,

Figure -7-is"a plan "viewof. one of the bridges which p n the tap at certainrollers frame is indicated at 20 and from this ex- In the present case the end of the press tends upwardly a bracket 21 which supports one end of the frame of the extended deliv ery device. It will be understood that-the press indicated in the drawings may be a printing press,-a cutter and creaser, or any other machine adapted t'o'operate on sheets of stock which are afterwards delivered into a pile. Only so much of the extended de-" livery device is shown pinthepresent case;

supported or mounted upon vertical posts or legs 23 which rest upon the floor somedis 25.

tance from the end of the press. Suitable cross members or tie, bars 24 unite the above described frame members to steadythem laterally and to form a supporting unit. Only part of the delivery device of the press is indicated in the drawings, and in so far as illustrated, thesame comprises a stationary roller 25 fixed inposition in the bracket 21 and extending crosswise of the press and around which engages, in well known manner, a seriesof endless tapes 26. The reciprocating delivery carriage which moves from asposition over the press ,toa position over the extended pile table, has a roller 28 around which the tapes 26 also engage, and at its forward end the carriage has a roller 27 around which these tapes also pass, the upper runs of the tapes being adapted to support and convey the sheets from the press to a position over the pile table. The carriage is supported by means of rollers 29 at. oppo" site sides of the carriage which rollers are flanged and travel upon parallel-rails or tracks .30 which are rigidly securedto the table frame. 'Deliverydevices of this char-- acter are well known in the art, andfurther detailed description is not necessary 'to-a fullv understanding of the'present invention. It is sufficient to add that when the delivery carriage reciprocates, its stroke is. usually fixedso that the forward tape roller 27 stops at the position indicated in Figure 1, at which time the sheetbeing delivered is positioned over the pile table, hereinafter described, and upon the return ortbackward stroke of the delivery carriage the tapes 2,6 peel from under the sheet and allow the latter to drop by gravity. f i I 1 Thelower'ingpile tableisindicated at31 and consists-of a platform having cleats or bars 32 on its side; It is understood that this table is adapted to move from a position just under the sheet rack to a position near the floor, and there are various well known devices in the art for gradually lowering the pile table as the sheets are received thereon, so that the top of the pile of sheets remains substantially in the same plane until the table has received a full pile; and it is unnecessary to show the details of the mechanism for automatically lowering the pile table. Unless. a device is employed to temporarily receive the sheets delivered from the'press while the filled pile table and its pile are being removed and a new table put into place, it' would be necessary to stop the press. The present device,*however, is intended to receive the sheets during this interim, so that the press may continue in its operation and then the sheet rack may be folded up to allow the sheetsto fall upon the new pile table when it has been placed into receiving position. 8

- In the drawings there are shown parallel supporting bars or rails 33 mounted at one end upon suitable brackets 34 connected with the stationary portions of the table frame, and in the brackets 37 on the tie rod 24 at their opposite ends, and these bars or rails are disposed at opposite sides of the delivery device and outside of the path of the sheets as they travel with the delivery carriage and pass onto the pile table. ,These bars or rails form the supporting means for the collapsing or folding .members of the sheet rack. At the right hand end of Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6 there is a bracket 35 rigidly con nected to the table frame, and this bracket is duplicated at opposite sides of the apparatus, and in. fact, all of the parts at one the-forward end of the device there is a shaft 40 mounted in the bracket 41 and the bracket 37 fixed to the tie bar 24 and on one end of this shaft there is ahand crank 5 by means of which the operator may revolvei the shaft 5L0 On this shaft there is a gear 42 which meshes with and drives a [gear which is fastenedfto the shaft 44 on which the sprockets 38 at the for'ward'endof the machine are carried. .By revolving the crank 5 the fshaft lO, the sprockets 38 and chains 39, and the'sprockets 36' (the latter being idlers) are all operated in unison, and the motion may be in either direction.

, On the guide bars or rails 33 are supported a number of brackets or sliding members which act as hangers. As shown in Figure of its shaft mounted or iournaled in one of the hangers. Preferably ball bearings, as indicated at 62 inFigure 4, are provided for the shafts of these rollers 47in order'that the latter may turn on "the hangers" with a minimum of friction. The several hangers which are slidable upon the rods 33 are provided in suilicient number, so-that the several rollers 47 when in extended position, will support the maximum sizesheet Without undue saggingand the number will naturally depend upon the size of the sheets to be handled in the press. The several" hangers are adapted to be moved in difierent direc- 'tions andprefe'rably they are divided so that one-half move to the right in Figure 1 and I the others move to th'elleft in this figure when the sheet rack is to be collapsed; and, conversely, when the rack is to be extended into receiving position, the direction of movement ofthe hangers is reversed, so that they approach from opposite ends toward the common center. While itispreferable toarrange ithe separating pointmidway of the lengthof the sheet rack, this is not imperative, but it is fundamental ofthe invention that the separation takes place at some point between-the extreme ends of the sheet rack in order to obtain the advantage claimed for the present invention. In the embodiment herein illustrated, the several hangers 48 are all adapted to move between the left hand end of the bars 33 in- Figures 1,=3, 5' .a'nd

6 and a point intermediate the length of these bars. 'Thehangers 49 onthe other hand, are

. adapted to move betweena point adjacent the rear; sprockets"36 andthe middle line of the bars 83. The'several hangers arecon nected to each other and to a fixed point by "what may called towing chains 6, 7. "There is a flexible-member 6 at each side of theinachine, preferably in .the formof a chain, and it is connectedat the points 50 with each of the several hangers 48 forming part of one-half of the folding sheet rack. The points Of'COHHQCtlOIILTSO Of chain with the several hangers issuch as to causef'the several hangers to'be extended apart as shown in Figure 3 when jthe foremost'hanger 48 is drawn out. One end of this chain 'is fastened to a fixedpoint, as indicated at 51. This chain is duplicated atthe opposite side of-the machine,so,thatit "is connected wlththe hangers which are in parallel reiation to the hangers 48 and which support the each other by a flexible' member 7 which is v also preferably in the form of a chain, the

same being connectedatthe preferably equidistant, points 52 with thesefseveral hangers 49. This chain has one'end fixed preferably by attaching it toflthe bracket 35. as shown at 53in the "drawings.

here is a front stop 54 against which the forward edge of the sheet is adapted to strike in order to stop the sheet in position to fall upon the sheet rack or the pile table, and if desired, a back stop 55 may be used to prevent bacl: thrust of the'sh eet. There is a tendency for the leading or forward edge of the sheet to drop below the plane of the tops of the'several rollers 47,es'peciallyif there is not a roller adjacent the leading edge of the sheet; and in the said co-pending application the sheets are prevented from dropping below this plane by means of belts or tapes. .llt ispreferable in thepresent construction to eliminate such tapes and to substitutein place thereof a bridge which is illustrated in detail in Figure The bridge 8 is adapted to span the space between the two forward rollers of the sheet rack when the rack is in extended position, in order that theleading edge of the sheet will not turn under the foremost roller 47. -This bridge '8 i is merely, a flat piece of metal one end of whichflrests on "the top of the second roller 47 from the left hand end of the rack in Figure '3. There is a yoke 11 extending downwardly from the plate orbridge 8,?and

this extends around the extreme left hand roller47- and is secured thereto bymeans of a i set screw.. Preferably,-there are several of these bridges or plates 8 arranged crosswise at intervals'on' the rollers 47. It may be prefengage in slots in the bracketsl3 and secure these brackets to the plate 8.

The lower run of the drive'chain 39 is attached to one of the hangers 48 at the point 1, but. not to any of the other h angers on this half of the rack. The upper run of each chain 39 is connected, as shown at3,with the hanger 49 of the right half of the'sheet rack, but tono otherhangersofthis' part of the rack. q 1 Y i 1 Operation When the pile table is in position'to receive the sheets delivered from the press, the sheet 6.0 the right hand hanger'c8 is thus moving to rack will be inretracted position,'shown in Figure 6, at which time all of the hangers forming the left half'of'thedevice will lie close to each other upon the bars 33 and to. the left of the pile table, as viewed in Figure 6. In this position, the tow chains 6 will hang down loosely from their points of connection with the several hangers. The hangers on the other half. of the device will lie in close position upon the bars 33 and to the right of the pile table, asshown in Figure 6, so that the vertical space between the delivery carriage and the pile table is free, or clear,

7 so'that the sheets may fall from the deliv- 7 equally spaced relation to each other. The

ery device onto the pile table.

lowered as the sheets accumulate thereon, un til it hasreached a position on or. near the floor, or until for: some other reason it is desired to remove the pile table and its pile, andto replace the table with another one. When this operation is to be carried out, the

hand crank 5 is turned clockwise in Figure' 6, and this will cause the shaft is tobe operatedthrough the gears 12,43 so that it revolves in a counter clockwise direction, viewing the-parts as in Figure 3. The'upp'er run of the chain 39 willtravel to the left, and as the. chain is connected, as abovedescribed,'with a hanger49 it will carry this hanger to the left from the position shown in Figure 6, until this hanger arrives at .a point approximately intermediate the length of the sheet rackg whereupon the operation of the crank 5 will be discontinued While the hanger 61 is thus moving to the left, 1t

first separates fromrthe next adjacent hanger 4L9 until the loop in the chain 7 has been'taken up, whereupon the first changer 49 will act through the chain 7 to tow the second hanger &9. 'lVhen the movement continues further, the nextloop in the chain 7 willbe taken up, and then the third hanger of the group will begin to move. This operation continues until allof the hangers have been moved along the bars 33 to the position indicated in Figure 1, where they will lie in preferably supporting rollers 17 will, of course, -move bodily with the respective hangers onwhich they are supported. While the crank 5 is being operated .in the manner above described the lower run of the chain 39 1s moving to the right as viewed in Figure 6, and

as this chain is attached at 1 torone hanger.

l8 the operation of this chain in the manner above described will cause the hanger 48 to move to-the right from the position shown 7 in Figure 6, until thishanger reaches a point adjacentthe center of the apparatus. While the right, the chain 6' will perform the same function regarding the hangers of this'section or half of the rack aswasperformed by the chain 7 on the hangers 49. That is,

I It will be understood that-the pile table is gradually as the right hand hanger 4:8 moves to the right the first loop in the chain 6 is taken up, whereupon the next hanger lSbeginsto move and thenthe second loop in the chain 6 is taken up, and the third hangerbegins to move, etc. hen the sections of the rack have thus been placed in extended or active position, as shown in Figure 3,. the sheets delivered by the delivery carriage will fall upon the several rollers l? which will support them over the pile table.

in Figure 3, and this will cause the several sprocketsq38, 36 to revolve, so that the chain 39 is moved. The upper run. of this chain will then move to the right in Figure 3 and the lower-run will move toward the left; By reason of the engagement of the upper run with one of the hangers 49 at the point 3, this hanger will be moved to theright alongthe rod 33 until it comes up against the next hanger, whereuponthat hanger will .be moved by the first one, etc., until all of the hangersof this half of the rack are foldedror collapsed to the position shown in Figure 6.

At the same "time that this is takingplace,

the lower run of the chain 39, by reason of its connection with the hanger 48 at the point 1, will'm'ove this hanger to the left on the rod 33. This hanger will strike against the second hanger 48 whereupon the latter will begin to move with the first hanger, and this action will be continued until all of the the crank 5 will beturned counter clockwise hangers of this half of the rack are collapsed to the posit-ion shown in Figure 6. The entire. sheet rack will now-be withdrawn or collapsed as shown. While the rack is being retracted, as shown inFigure ,5, support of the temporarypile 57 is gradually withdrawn from the center, so that this portion begins to sag, and as the support is withdrawn simultaneously from opposite sides of the middle of the pile, any tendencyof the sheets to follow one-half of the rackis ofisetbythe tendency to follow the other half of .the rack, which latter is moving in a reverse direction: As a result, the temporary-pile of sheets is not displaced in the direction of theirlength. As in the above mentioned 00- pending application, the rollers 47 revolve freely, s0 thatin the operation of withdrawing the rack fromthe support of the temporary pilet se rollers revolve freely, so

I friction on the sheets.

Having described my invention,- what I" claim is: I.

1. The combination of a pressya pile table for receiving sheets from said press, tracks,

and a rack for temporarily receiving the sheets above said pile table, said rack com-, prising a plurality of sections slidable on said tracks and adapted to be retracted in opposite directions to deliver the sheets accumulated thereon upon said pile table.

2. The combination of a press, a pile table for receiving sheets from said press, tracks, and a normally inactive rack slidable on said tracks and adapted to be extended from opposite directions into sheet receiving 'position for temporarily receiving the sheets above said pile table.

8. The combination of a press, a pile table for receiving sheets from said press,tracks, and a plurality of rack members slidable on said tracks and normally located out of the vertical path of the sheets, said rack members being adapted to be slid inwardly from opposite sides of the path of the sheets for temporarily receiving'the sheets above said pile table. I V

4:. The combination of a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, members slidable along said tracks and comprising sections adapted to move in opposite directions into extended and collapsed positions, and means for moving said sections from opposite ends of the tracks into extended position.

5. The combination of a frame, a pile tablethereon, tracks and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets above the table, said rack being slidable on said tracks and being separable at a point intermediate its ends for the purpose of discharging the sheets accumulated thereon and means for separating said sections.

6, The combination of a frame, a pile table thereon, tracks, and a rack slidable along said tracks, for temporarily receiving sheets above the table, said rack comprising a plurality of I sections normally inactive and located out of the vertical path of the sheets, said sections being adapted to be extended from opposite sides of the sheet into sheet receiving position, and means for operating said sections.

7 The combination of a press, a pile table thereon, tracks and a sheet rack slidable on said tracks and consisting of members movable in opposite directions over said pile table and adapted to support sheets above said pile table and spacing connections between said slidable members.

8. The combination of a frame, a pile table tnereon, tracks, a collapsible sheet rack consisting of divided sections, each section consieting of members movable along said tracks and adapted to support sheets above said pile table, and means for simultaneously moving the members of different sections in opposite directions to deliver the sheets upon said pile table. p

9. The combination of a press, a pile table thereon, tracks, a sheet rack consisting of divided sections, slidable on said tracks, each section consisting of members movable above said table and spacing connections between tne movable members of each section.

- 10. The combination of a frame, a pile table, tracks, and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets abovethe table, said'rack comprising a plurality of sections slidable on said tracks, each having membersfor supporting the sheets and adapted to be collapsed to disengage the sheets accumulated. thereon for delivery'uponsaid pile table, and means for moving said sections in opposite directions to collapse said rack.

sheets above the table, said rack including revolvable members for supporting the sheets adapted toYroll fromunder the sheets piled thereon, said rack being composed of a plurality of sections, and means for moving saids ections in opposite directions to collapse said rack.

18'. The combination of a frame, a pile table, tracks, niembersmovable along said tracks and comprising sections adapted to I move in opposite directions into extended and collapsed positions, and means for moving said sections in opposite directions from a point intermediate the ends ofthe tracks.

14.. The combination of a frame, arpile.

table, tracks, a collapsible sheet rack'consistmg of divided sections, eachse'ction consistmg of members movable along said tracks and adapted to support sheets above said pile table, and collapsible spacing connections between the movablemembers of each of said sections. l

15. The combination of aframe, a pile table, tracks, a collapsible sheet'rack consisting of divided sections each section consist-- ing of members movable along'said tracks and adaptedto support sheets abovesaid pile table, collapsible spacing connections between the movable members of each of said sections, and means for simultaneously mov ing the members of differentsections in oppositedirectionsto deliver the sheets upon said table. I

16. The combination of a'frame, ai-p'fle table and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets above the table, said rack comprising a plurality of collapsible sections, each 'having members for supporting the sheets,

andineans for moving said sections in-opposite'dlrections, comprising endless members engaging around revolvable means to form a the ends of the sheets, revolvable means arranged adjacent the oppositexends of said movable rack and endless membersengaging around said revolvable members' to formoppositelynnoving 1L1I1S,SL1Cl runs be ng connectedwith said rackso as to move the sections thereof in opposite directions.

18. The combinationof a frame, a pile table and a rack for temporarily receiving sheets above the table comprising tracks, members movable along said tracks and comprising rack sections adapted to divide at a point intermediate the ends of the sheets,

collapsible spacing members connected between the sliding members of each of said rack sections, revolvable members. arranged ad acent opposite ends of said rack, and an endless memberj engaging said revolvablev members, the opposite runs 'of'said endless members being connected with said'movable rack members whereby the racksections will:

be collapsed and extended simultaneously in opposite directions.

19. The combination of-a press, a pile sup port, a movable sheet rack for receiving sheets over said pile support and composed of members which are spaced apart when in sheet receiving'position, and means, carriedby one of said sheet supports and bridging the space between adjacent supports; s c

20. The combination of a press, a pile support, a movable sheet rack for receiving sheets over said support and comprising members arranged in spaced relation when in sheet receiving position, means carried by one of said supporting members and adapted-t0 project over an adjacent supporting member to bridge the gap between adjacent supporting members.

21. The combination of a press, a pile support and a movable sheet rack for receiving sheets over said pile support, said rack comprising supporting members adapted to be extendedin open spaced relation and to be collapsed towards each other, and a bridge carried byaone of said supporting members and extending over an adjacent supporting member to bridge the gap between said sup porting members when the rack is in extended prevent the edge of position, said second supporting member b ing adapted to move toward and from said first supporting member below's'aid bridge support and adapted to be moved into and out of sheetrec'eiving position, said rackcomprising supporting members adapted to be collapsed toward each other, abrldge carr ed Y by one of said supporting members and adapt ed to bridge the space between adjacent supporting members, a front stop for sheets disposed over said bridge and means on said bridge co-operating with said frontstop to the sheet passing under the front stop.. i is Signed at the city of New London, county of New London, andState of Connecticut, the 1.9th'dayof March, 1928-.

FRED S; ENGLISH.

temporarily" receiving sheets over said pile V 

